Argentina has taken its dispute over oil drilling near the Falkland Islands to the United Nations, filing a request with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) to halt the controversial Sea Lion project. The move follows President Javier Milei’s earlier sanctions against British firm Rockhopper Exploration and its Israeli partner Navitas Petroleum, which are leading the offshore drilling operation.
The project, approved by the Falkland Islands government and backed by the UK, is set to begin in early 2027. Argentina argues that drilling in the Malvinas North Basin—an area it claims as part of its continental shelf—violates its sovereign rights and deepens an already contentious territorial dispute. The ITLOS request seeks provisional measures to prevent further hydrocarbon development, framing the UK’s approval as ‘unilateral and illegal’ under international law.
The UK has rejected Argentina’s claims, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham reaffirming the islands’ right to self-determination. In a House of Commons statement, Burnham vowed to ‘do whatever it takes’ to uphold the ‘clear and declared will of the islanders to remain British.’ The UK’s stance has drawn criticism from Argentina, which accuses London of undermining diplomatic efforts to resolve the sovereignty dispute.
Argentina’s legal challenge comes as the country prepares to debate a new ‘Law for the Defense of National Sovereignty,’ which would impose stricter sanctions on companies involved in resource extraction near the disputed territories. The legislation also includes controversial reforms to national defense and intelligence, raising concerns among opposition lawmakers.
The Falkland Islands—known as the Malvinas in Argentina—have been a source of diplomatic tension since the UK reasserted control in 1982 following a brief war. While the UK maintains administrative authority, Argentina continues to assert its historical claim, framing the oil drilling as a provocation that could escalate the dispute further.